The Motherfuckin’ Dimes!!!!!!!

Photo Rosa Foto

Holy fuck! The Dimes – those clean-cut just fresh out of high school kids that you’ve ignored all this time! Yeah, those guys? Well, while you were fucking around this summer, they went and made a fucking great album. I don’t mean great for a local band, I mean a great fucking album that is great without apology.

The Dimes for those of you new to my rants, are a local outfit that has made even the most cynical listener shut up and take notice when they play a live set and now those little bastards pulled off translating that live work into an album that will naturally be ignored because it is too unique, brilliant, and alive. Here is the problem, how does a critic write about the Dimes? Where’s the self-absorbed frontman, the drug addled guitarist, or the histrionic promotion? Where is the long organic historic lineage from which they arose? Where’s the angle when all you have is brilliantly executed no-frills high-energy Pop/Rock? Shit I guess the motherfuckers are just going to have to write about the music! Shit, well let’s go then…

“Teenage Sex” – one of the best songs of 2006. This is everything that is great about the Dimes – kudos to Sugarhill Studios! Iram Guerrero’s drums are right up front like they should be, propelling the song with an uncontrolled tension during the verses and bursting out during the chorus. The guitars follow suit with Cley Miller’s restrained effects while Carlos Sanchez’s vocals shout “You know you’ve got the Morning Shivers.” What the fuck is he talking about? What the fuck is this song about? I have no idea! They simply come in, cold-cock you, and don’t stop for 4 minutes 51seconds. It’s brilliant Rock and Roll.

One of the reasons this band is unstoppable is Iram and Bassist Jose Sanchez amazing rhythm section. On “Doctor Doctor”, for example, the two hold down a groove that just moves like a racecar being pushed to its highest gear and the machine-gun rhythm of “Landlady” is gorgeous. Another thing to note is Cley’s brilliant lead guitar work. Take “Delila” or “Landlady”, the band gives him his room and he just runs with it. I can’t think of another guitarist in Houston who uses his effects with such sophistication and restraint. But you’ve heard all this before. The point is this is a great album. So for you critics (and one critic in particular who can no longer use the excuse that their myspace low-fi demos sound like crap) – get off your asses and give this band their due. You have no excuse left now!